Qiu Lao Ye heard San Niang wanted to pray for his safety, and he would go through seven days of fasting and purification. How could he not agree? Moreover, Bai He also told Mo Zi that Lao Ye had tears in the corners of his eyes, holding San Niang's hand, saying he hadn't wronged her.

  "The girl all the way back, her face didn't look too good, sighing that if it wasn't for the lady's interference, the father-daughter relationship wouldn't have become so distant." Bai He also sighed.

  "I see that in this house, only our young lady is still good to the old master, going to pay respects every day. I haven't seen the sixth and seventh young ladies being so diligent, but they're always surrounding the mistress instead." Green Jade lay on the bed, propping her head with her hand, turning sideways to look at White Lotus and Ink Purple, "I heard from Jin Shu that whenever the sixth and seventh young ladies go see the old master, they don't dare sit down or drink tea, as if they're afraid of catching his illness. The old master scolded them once and told them not to come again, and they really didn't go."

  Jin Shu is Old Master Qiu's little book boy.

  "It's not just the six girls and seven girls, even if the lady is with the nine girls, she won't sit for long. After a brief look, she'll let the wet nurse take them out. The old master is really pitiful. A big madam and three concubines, seven children, now only our girl can attend to him by his sickbed, serving tea and handing over medicine." Bai He thought of what he saw in Old Master Qiu's courtyard during the day and couldn't help but sigh.

  "So, your dry mother is luckier than the old master. The old master has seven children, but only one is filial. Your dry mother only has you as a dry daughter, yet she's closer to you than her own daughter." Mozi's bed was by the window, and the moonlight made the mosquito net shine like snow.

  "Really." Green Chrysanthemum also sighed, "We who have no parents can recognize our dry relatives, and the more we have, the more we want to treat people well with all our hearts. But those young masters and misses who don't have to worry about food or clothes at home, and don't even need to move their fingers, despise their parents for being old and sick."

  "Never mind, at least our girl isn't that kind of person." Bai He heard the drumbeat, "Hurry up and sleep, tomorrow will be busy early in the morning."

  In ancient times, when a young lady went out, especially if she had to spend the night outside, it was a very troublesome and meticulous matter. Generally, the rules were to obtain permission from her parents, send someone to the nunnery to post a notice to set a date, arrange for maids, servants, and other attendants to accompany her, and also to have new clothes made, prepare daily necessities, even bedding had to be brought along, as well as books, musical instruments, chess sets, and writing materials that she usually used. At least one month's time was needed before she could go out for seven days and nights without returning home.

  However, this trip was decided hastily and had to coincide with the Weis' visit to Ci Nian An, so Master agreed that a servant would be sent to deliver a message to the temple tomorrow, and they would set off the day after.

  "I wonder if Madam will make another fuss when she finds out?" Green Jade muttered, then turned over and fell asleep.

  Mozi closed her eyes and wasn't worried at all. Zhangshi was making a fuss, but wouldn't Qiu Sanniang also make a fuss? Everyone has their own way of doing things, let's just wait and see.

  On the second day, Qiu San Niang sent a young servant to Ci Nian An to deliver an invitation, asking him to return quickly after receiving the message. Mo Zi and others were busy packing their luggage, rushing about in all directions.

  Moreover, it was not that the news was deliberately concealed in Zhang San's courtyard, but when Zhang Shi found out, breakfast had already been served.

  "What did you say?" Zhang's family was so angry that she slammed the tea tray.

  Ai Ya was so scared that she dodged to the side and hid behind a fragment.

  "Ah, the old lady has indeed grown old," said Zhang, "she hasn't seen her in a long time. With both hands hanging down and her body slightly inclined, she respectfully replied, 'Third Miss is going to Ci Nian An to perform the seven-day prayer and fasting ritual. Early this morning, someone was sent to deliver the invitation.'"

  "What is she going to do?" Zhang didn't know that her good sister was living in the temple, "I haven't accepted her greetings for two days, and now she's become bold, thinking I don't care about anything, right?"

  "Madam, I heard that Third Miss went to the old master's courtyard yesterday. It must have been with his consent." An'niang countered with a clear perspective, "Otherwise, Third Miss wouldn't have taken it upon herself without your agreement."

  "What's the use of Master agreeing?! This is the inner house. Matters big or small in the inner house are all under my control. Even if she's the young mistress, she has to listen to me, her mother." The true face of Zhang Shi finally emerged from behind the small gate, "Ai Xiang, go and invite our young mistress over. I want to see how she can step out of the main gate of the Ju manor without my consent!" Her anger had not dissipated since that night.

  Ai Ya heard this and happily agreed, walking outwards.

  Unexpectedly, four grandmothers rushed in and grabbed Ai Xiang.

  "Madam, I just heard it outside, can I say two words?" Fourth Granny sat down gently beside Zhang Shi, "Madam, don't be angry about such a small matter. I heard that Third Sister is going to the temple for a ritual bath, but also heard that she's doing it on behalf of Master to pray for blessings and peace, to show her filial piety, so she chose the seventh day ceremony."

  Zhang was taken aback and immediately scolded An Pozi, "You old skin, why didn't you tell me clearly earlier?"

  "Don't blame An's mother, perhaps An's mother doesn't know either." Fourth Granny saw that An's wife was indeed nodding hastily, "Now that you know, if you don't let San Niang go, it will likely be said to Master and he will speak ill of the mistress."

  "Even so, if I don't make a sound, will I still be in charge of this household or not?" The cunning dead girl actually used filial piety to counterattack her.

  Zhang was indignant and couldn't calm down. She thought that although she hadn't managed to beat up San Niang's maid that night, at least in front of so many people, she had slapped San Niang in the face. Later, she pretended to faint, wanting San Niang to take on the reputation of being arrogant and unreasonable.

  "San Niang is great, but she will eventually get married." The Fourth Granny and Qiu San Niang had never had a direct confrontation, because she had a "very capable" mother-in-law, so she didn't need to worry about it.

  "It's said that way, but she was the young lady of the Qiu Manor, and I couldn't eat or sleep in peace." It had already reached such a detestable point.

  "Madam had already formed an alliance with the Wang family, and it wouldn't be too late to find a match for San Niang later. The old master's health is not good, so naturally Madam has the final say in this matter." Fourth Granny didn't have any malicious intentions, but she did have some reservations, "But if Madam doesn't let San Niang go to Ci Nian An now, people who don't know the inside story might start gossiping. Moreover, it was the old master himself who agreed to it."

  Filial piety is the root of all virtues. If San Niang were to be prevented from practicing filial piety, and this were to spread, the Qiu family would be ridiculed, laughed at, despised, and ostracized.

  "Let her go out easily, my heart is suffocating." Zhang's eyebrows rose, and bad water emerged from the corner of his eyes. "Su Xin, you must keep the key to the warehouse tightly. She wants to pretend to be filial, but I don't know what she will do. For the seven-day fasting ceremony, all the necessary items will be bought with her own silver."

  Fourth Grandma Jiang Suixin was very familiar with her mother-in-law, and when it came to this point, if she continued to persuade him, Huoxingzi would say that he wouldn't allow it and would jump on himself, so she didn't make a sound and just slightly nodded.

  "Lao Wu and his wife, I don't have any hope for them." Zhang Shi pulled her daughter-in-law's hand, "I only hope that Lao Si and you two can hold up the family business and take care of Lao Wu's family in the future. The legitimate daughter-in-law thinks I don't know anything, she treats buying things from her mother's house as giving money to her mother's house, or buying things at twice the price from her mother's shop. I won't say anything now, let's wait until the end of the month when we settle the accounts and see how she explains it to me. It's also Lao Si's fault for not being able to stand up for himself, making me have to smile and make excuses in front of his wife."

  "Madam, don't worry. Not to mention that Fifth Brother is still young and immature, but even if he weren't, as the younger brother of your husband's own mother, who else can take care of him if not us?" Fourth Granny smiled warmly.

  Qiu Sanniang's trip to the Ci Nian An was thus settled, but it is unknown whether Zhang Shi was overly passionate or if Mozi's move of using filial piety as a cover-up was too powerful, and no one delved deeper into its meaning, only making some self-righteous deductions.

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  A new week begins, seeking recommendations again, thank you.